Statement by Chinese Delegation at the Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2015 NPT Review Conference

2014/05/05

Mr. Chairman,

Peaceful uses of nuclear energy are one of the three pillars of NPT, and the inalienable right of all States Parities under the Treaty. Peaceful uses of nuclear energy will contribute the peace, health and prosperity of the world, facilitate the comprehensive achievement of all objectives of NPT, and advance the progress of nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. All parties should promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy concretely under the global nuclear governance framework.Peaceful uses of nuclear weapons and non-proliferation supplementary each other. The efforts to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons shall not impair the legitimate rights of all countries, especially the peaceful uses of nuclear energy by the developing countries. At the same time, while developing peaceful uses of nuclear energy, measures shall be actively taken to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons. The international community should be alerted to the imbalance between the supply and demand of nuclear material in some country, and take effective measures to rectify this situation.

Mr. Chairman,

All states shall carry out in-depth cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. IAEA are playing an important role in the nuclear cooperation by providing extensive assistance to its member states through technical cooperation and other assistance modes, and has won wide appreciation from its member states. At the same time, the IAEA's promotive activities and technical cooperation activities for peaceful uses of nuclear energy shall be ensured by commensurate resources. We call for all member states, especially the developed countries, to consider the actual needs of the developing countries and to continuously strengthen the assistance to the developing countries on peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

China has always supported IAEA in promoting the efforts made for peaceful uses of nuclear energy. So far, China has totally donated 37.87 million USD to IAEA's technical cooperation fund, assigned 1320 person-time of experts to other member states, and accepted 1430 person-time of foreign technical personnel to come to China for fellowship training or scientific visit. We have made our due contributions to the big family of peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Mr. Chairman,

Through nearly 60 years of development, China has set up a rather complete nuclear industry system. On the premise of nuclear safety, nuclear power has efficiently developed in China. Nuclear power plants in operation has added up to 18, with a total installed capacity of 15.78 GWe, and another 30 nuclear power plants under construction, with a total installed capacity of 32.77 GWe, accounting for over 40% of the total nuclear power plants under construction worldwide. According to the adjusted Medium- and Long-term Nuclear Power Development Program, the total installed capacity of operational nuclear power plants will reach 58 GWe and another 30 GWe under construction by 2020. China has achieved the industrial application of centrifugal uranium enrichment. While meeting the domestic demand, we can also provide uranium enrichment service to other countries in need.

China has independently got hold of a number of advanced nuclear technologies, developed Gen III pressurized-water reactor (PWR) nuclear power technology and high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) technology with Gen IV nuclear power features. All these adapt to the development needs of developing countries. China's nuclear science and technology are widely used in food irradiation, radiation chemical engineering, industrial inspection and other fields.

China attaches importance to the cooperation with other countries in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy under NPT, and has signed inter-governmental cooperation agreements on peaceful uses of nuclear energy with 27 countries. Over the past 30 years after joining in IAEA, China has been committed to share experiences with countries that use nuclear energy for peaceful purpose. China attaches great importance to the cooperation with developing countries, and has been working towards providing assistance in its power to other nuclear countries that aspire to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, including emerging nuclear power countries. All these partnerships have received safeguard or supervision by the IAEA, or been carried out under IAEA technical cooperation projects.

Mr. Chairman,

Nuclear safety can guarantee the healthy development in peaceful uses of nuclear energy. China has adopted strict and effective nuclear safety measures, established sound and effective systems of nuclear safety laws and regulations, nuclear safety regulation and nuclear emergency system, strengthened infrastructure construction, with continued concerns about the impact of nuclear facilities and activities on the environment, the society and the public. Up to now, all nuclear power plants in China have maintained a good record on safety operation, and the main operation performance indicators have reached the internationally advanced level.

After the Fukushima nuclear accident, the Chinese government took decisive measures to suspend new build of nuclear power plants and carry out comprehensive nuclear safety inspection. On this basis, China issued the 12th Five-Year Plan and the 2020 Vision on Nuclear Safety and Radioactive Pollution Prevention and the Nuclear Safety Plan; put forward technical requirements to be followed for common improvements of China's nuclear power plants in operation and under construction, published the General Technical Requirements for Post-Fukushima Improvement Actions of Nuclear Power Plants (Trial version). In the future, China will build new nuclear power plants in accordance with the world's highest safety requirements. The new nuclear power plants shall meet the safety standards of Gen III nuclear power plant.

Mr. Chairman,

Strengthening of nuclear security is important to ensuring the sustainable development of nuclear energy. As President Xi Jinping put forward at the third Nuclear Security Summit, we must follow a rational, coordinated and balanced approach to nuclear security. We should hold the principle of placing equal emphasis on development and security, on rights and obligations, and on independent and collaborative efforts, and build an international nuclear security system featuring fairness and win-win cooperation.

All countries shall bear the responsibility of physical protection for nuclear materials and facilities on its own territory and ensure the balanced and rational use of sensitive nuclear materials. The current framework of international law on nuclear security shall be improved, and international cooperation on nuclear security shall be promoted. IAEA shall continue to play the major role in nuclear security.

While increasing the nuclear security of itself, China has actively carried out cooperation with the developing countries in nuclear security. China has held training courses and workshops on nuclear security every year, contributed to the Nuclear Security Fund of IAEA, and donated nuclear security equipments developed by China for many consecutive years. China has taken part in a micro reactor project on conversion of using HEU to LEU in Ghana under the framework of the IAEA. Upon its completion, China's Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security, which is set up jointly by China and the United States, will be the best training and exchange platform for nuclear security in terms of size, equipment and technological capability in Asia-Pacific region.

Mr. Chairman,

In order to further promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, China submitted working paper, systematically elaborating the basic views of China on this issue, to the Preparatory Committee.